S
Idioms beginning with "S"
Part of speech, explanation, example sentences, pronunciation
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Contents of S:
[shakedown] {n.}
1. A test.
Let's take the new car out and give it a shakedown.
2. An act of extorting money by threatening.
It was a nasty shakedown, to get $500 from the old man, promising to protect him.
[shake down] {v. phr.}
1. To cause to fall by shaking.
He shook some pears down from the free.
2. {informal}
To test, practice, get running smoothly (a ship or ship's crew).
* /The captain shook down his new ship on a voyage to the Mediterranean […]
[shake in one's shoes] or [shake in one's boots] {v. phr.}, {informal}
To be very much afraid.
The robber shook in his boots when the police knocked on his door.
[shake off] {v.}, {informal}
To get away from when followed; get rid of; escape from.
A convict escaped from prison and shook off the officers trying to follow him.
Tom could not shake off his cold.
[shake the dust from one's feet] {v. phr.}
To depart or leave with some measure of disgust or displeasure.
Jim was so unhappy in our small, provincial town that he was glad to shake the dust from his feet and move to New York.
[shake up] {v.}, {informal}
To bother; worry; disturb.
The notice about a cut in pay shook up everybody in the office.
[shake-up] {n.}
A change; a reorganization.
After the scandal there was a major shake-up in the Cabinet.
[shape up] {v. phr.}, {informal}
1. To begin to act or work right; get along satisfactorily.
If the new boy doesn't begin to shape up soon, he'll have to leave school.
* /"How is the building of the new gym coming along?" "Fine. It's shaping up […]